Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WILLOW WOOD — The Symmes Valley Vikings found a cure for a hangover.
Coming off a tough loss to Southern Ohio Conference leader New Boston on Friday, the Vikings appeared to be suffering from the effects early in Saturday’s game against the Portsmouth Clay Panthers.
But the Vikings got to feeling better in the second quarter as they opened up an 11-point lead and went on to rout the Panthers 67-40.
Eli Patterson scored a career-high 20 points and hauled down 10 rebounds to lead the Vikings (4-4, 4-3). He also had 2 assists and 2 steals.
Luke Leith had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Ethan Patterson grabbed 5 rebounds.
Shaden Malone scored 24 points for Clay (2-9, 2-4).
Malone scored 10 points and Jaden Jessee added 4 more as the Panthers took a 14-12 lead. Josh Ferguson scored all 6 of his points and Grayson Walsh got 4 to pace the Vikings.
Symmes Valley’s defense held Clay to just 3 foul shots in the second quarter while Leith had 7 points and Patterson 4 more and it was 28-17 at the half.
Patterson scored 10 points, Leith had 5 and Drew Scherer hit a 3-pointer as the lead grew to 46-28.
The Vikings continued to pull away in the fourth quarter as Patterson had 6 more points, Ethan Patterson got 4 and Caden Brammer hit a triple.
Clay Cottle had two 3-pointers for half of Clay’s points in the quarter.
The Vikings go to Western on Tuesday.
Ports. Clay 14 3 11 12 = 40
Sym. Valley 12 16 18 21 = 67
PORTSMOUTH CLAY (2-9, 2-4): Clay Cottle 0 2 0-0 6, Shaden Malone 9 0 6-9 24, Gavin Cayton 0 0 0-0 0, Carson Porginski 0 0 0-0 0, Cullen Payne 0 0 0-0 0, Jaymes Jones 0 0 2-3 2, Evan Balestra 0 0 0-0 0, Jaden Jessee 4 0 0-0 8, Bobby Deal 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 2 8-12 40. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.
SYMMES VALLEY (4-4, 4-3): Caden Brammer 1 1 0-0 5, Luke Leith 7 0 2-3 16, Ethan Patterson 1 0 2-2 4, Josh Ferguson 3 0 0-2 6, Braden Webb 1 0 0-0 2, Levi Best 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Scherer 0 1 2-2 5, Nick Straw 0 0 0-0 0, Eli Patterson 10 0 0-0 20, Logan Justice 1 0 0-0 2, Grayson Walsh 4 0 1-4 7. Totals: 29-58 7-13 67. 3-pt goals: 2-7. Rebounds: 21-O, 19-D = 40 (Leith 10, El. Patterson 10, Et. Patterson 5). Assists: 13 (Scherer 3, Brammer 2, El. Patterson 2, Walsh 2). Steals: 8 (Best 2, Scherer 2, El. Patterson 2). Blocks: 6 (Brammer 2, Leith 2, Scherer 2). Turnovers: 5. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.